Exit polls show broad voter pushback against local AI data centers in 2026 midterms
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
CBS News exit polls suggest that majorities of voters in the 2026 midterm elections rejected the construction of AI data centers in their communities, with opposition cutting across party lines and shaping candidate support.
CBS News exit polls conducted on Election Day and in the surrounding weeks found that most voters in the 2026 midterm elections opposed the construction of AI data centers in their neighborhoods. The resistance was reported nationwide and in every Senate battleground state, stretching across urban, suburban and rural communities.
While the issue was not the top priority for voters, it tracked closely with wider concerns about artificial intelligence. Voters who believed AI poses more risks than benefits tended to reject local data centers, while those who viewed AI more favorably were more open to them.
The sentiment affected candidate performance: many Democratic candidates who opposed data centers, such as Sen.-elect Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa of Texas, won support from voters who shared that stance. Even so, a substantial share of self-identified Republicans also said they resisted new data centers, although they mostly voted for Republican candidates.
Earlier CBS News polling connected the skepticism to worries about environmental impact and resource use, though some respondents saw possible tax-revenue gains from data centers. The exit poll surveyed thousands of voters at polling locations, and results will be updated as additional votes are tallied.